Police to investigate ‘malicious communications’ from landlord

Orbit, the owner of a number of buy-to-let properties in Coventry, could find itself in hot water over comments allegedly made by an employee to a tenant. 

When a mum-of-two, who does not want to be named, reported to her landlord about a mouse infestation in her home, she received a response telling her to “eat them”.

Screenshots, seen by CoventryLive, show text messages stating: “We won't be helping with your mouse problem. Eat them instead. Orbit.

“Yum mouse sandwich.”

The tenant has reported the harassing text messages to West Midlands Police. 

A spokesman for the force said: “Police are investigating reports of malicious communications after a woman received harassing text messages between Wednesday 30 October and Friday 1 November which caused her distress.”

Orbit claims not to recognise the messages as communication from any of its employees.

The woman told CoventryLive: "I had a text message from a number claiming to be Orbit telling me they won't help with my problem and that I should eat them [the mice] instead.

"I couldn't believe what I was reading.

"I tried to ring the number back but it was like it had been disconnected."

The tenant is concerned the mice are affecting her eldest child's health as they suffer from asthma.

She added: "I rang Orbit and didn't hear anything from them about the maintenance work.

"The mice were starting to get braver; running across the kitchen floor while I was in there with the kids."

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